US says S. Korea alliance 'ironclad' after Lee's presidential win
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) --
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday congratulated Lee Jae Myung on his election as president of South Korea and reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to the bilateral alliance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the administration will continue to deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea "to bolster regional security, enhance economic resilience and defend our shared democratic principles."
Rubio also noted that the United States has been modernizing its alliance with South Korea "to meet the demands of today's strategic environment and address new economic challenges."
A White House official said the South Korean presidential election was "free and fair" but added that the Trump administration "remains concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world."
The official's comment may reflect Washington's concern over Lee's apparent readiness to engage with China to repair relations strained under his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol -- a conservative who was impeached and removed from office after briefly declaring martial law in December.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also extended congratulations to Lee, saying he "attaches great importance" to developing bilateral ties, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
China stands ready to work with South Korea to "stick to the goal of mutual benefit and win-win results" and "jointly promote the continuous development" of a bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, he added.
The message indicates Beijing's intention to stabilize its relations with South Korea amid a tariff war with Washington.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian dismissed concern expressed by the White House, saying at a press conference Wednesday that Beijing has "never interfered in other countries' internal affairs" and urged Washington to "stop sowing discord" between China and South Korea.
China is South Korea's biggest trading partner, and Lee, who was the country's liberal Democratic Party candidate, has acknowledged the economic importance of the Asian power and the necessity of stabilizing ties with Beijing.
Lee has underscored South Korea's decades-old alliance with the United States as the foundation of Seoul's diplomacy. But his past comments suggested the need for South Korea to seek a greater distance from the United States, and he has also been highly critical of Japan.
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